The Desert's Glass Smith
by classica87
Summary: When a supposedly dead Kumogakure kunoichi shows up in his desert only weeks before peace negotiations with the Raikage, Gaara is more than unsettled. Haranshi Reina's appearance could mean the end of an already fragile alliance forged to combat the Akatsuki threat. And offering her sanctuary? Had the young Kazekage been superstitious, he would have called it fate.
1. Arrival

Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto_ or any of its characters. Credit for the _Naruto _manga and its characters goes to Masashi Kishimoto. I hope you all enjoy the story. Please Review!

Chapter One: Arrival

Temari paced the walls of Sunagakure, wringing her hands. She loved her brother, and he _was_ the Kazekage, but she was having a hard time fighting the overwhelming urge to smack him with her fan. Why, in the name of Kami, had he posted her for patrols _on the hottest day of the year?_ And it was Friday, for Kami's sake! She licked her dry lips and took a swig from her canteen. "Oh well." The wind user sighed and leaned back against the guard tower's rough stone walls. "Gaara or no, the Kazekage is still the Kazekage." She might as well get comfortable—guard shifts didn't change for at least another three hours.

The young shinobi she shared her post with put down the binoculars he had been holding for the last fifteen minutes and turned to look at her. "Did you say something, Temari-sama?"

_"No_, Akihiko. Give it a rest, will you?" Temari wanted to punch Akihiko in the face—the newly-minted chuunin was getting on her last good nerve. All she wanted was a little peace, and Kami help her, if he couldn't keep his mouth shut, she was going to shove him off the cliffs. At her snap, he turned away and resumed his scouting. Termari snorted; for a kid whose name meant "bright," he wasn't exactly the sharpest kunai of the bunch. In fact, he was so stupid and obnoxious that she couldn't comprehend how he managed to pass his exams. "They probably let him pass just to get rid of him," Temari rolled her eyes at his back. "I know I would have."

"What was that, Temari-sama?"

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all." He nodded and resumed his scanning. _Clueless idiot. _

She was nearly asleep when Akihiko yelled, "Temari-sama! Something is headed toward the village!"

Temari jerked awake and stomped over to the edge of the battlements. Forget shoving the idiot off the cliffs; bashing his skull in sounded like a much better idea. "Has the heat gone to your head?" she snarled. "That's impossible!"

Akihiko shrank back a little but shook his head. "N-no, Temari-sama! I saw something!"

"Give me those!" Temari snatched the binoculars from his grasp. She adjusted the focus and peered though the lenses with ferocious intensity, fully intending to murder that _stupid_ boy when his "something" didn't show up. "Where is the blasted thing? What direction?" He pointed a shaking finger eastward, and, fully expecting to see nothing, she said, "See? Nothing! You're just seeing things. there's nothing out there but sa... _what is that?_" A black blur had entered her sights. A black, _moving_ blur.

Akihiko looked smug. "I told you, Temari-sama." Kami, _I'm going to break his nose..._

"Shut up and stay here," she snapped, flipping her pigtails in his face as she stormed off. "I'm going to go look." There was a _woosh_ and _snap_ as she unfurled her fan, and then she dove headfirst off the walls.

Temari crouched on the edge of her fan and flew low across the dunes as she canvassed the area. _Sand. Sand. More sand._ Maybe it _was_ a mirage, but Temari seriously doubted that. She wouldn't have been able to see it too. She flew up a little further and circled back to the northeast. "I might as well check the other sectors," she said to herself. The moving black blur might have, well, moved.

When Temari finally found the blur, it wasn't moving. Correction—_she _wasn't moving. How a Kumogakure kunoichi managed to end up here, she didn't know, but Temari wasn't just going to leave her lying face down in the sand like that. She jumped off her fan and snapped it shut, then flipped the kunoichi over and checked her pulse. "Well, you aren't dead," she told the unconscious girl, "and that's always a good sign." _I suppose I'll be taking you with me, then. At least I'll have _something_ to put in the report._ She hefted her passenger over her shoulder and flew back to the village.

"Oh, Temari-sama! Let me help—"

"Gods, Akihiko! Would you just _move?"_ Termari shoved the overzealous chuunin out of the way with her free hand and, ignoring his garbled apologies, stomped off towards the gates. She knew she'd been rude, but she really didn't care; carrying a one hundred something pound girl is _not_ easy when you have the world's most obnoxious chuunin breathing down your neck. She shifted the girl's weight on her shoulder and sighed. "Well, at least he isn't that little shrimp from Konoha." Temari hadn't seen Naruto in a while, but he _had_ to be worse than what she was stuck with. No time to worry about that, though. She swept through the gates and hurried on to the hospital.

Exhaustion, acute dehydration, minor wounds… Temari nodded dumbly as the young medic rambled on. She rubbed her temples, trying to clear the beginnings of a headache. She had a report to write, and for once she couldn't afford to procrastinate. Her recent find may be an unconscious dried-up raisin for all she cared, but she was a _foreign _dried-up raisin, a raisin Gaara would want to know about. "Oh, gods…" Temari sighed and smacked her forehead. Had she just called her rescuee a _foreign dried-up raisin? _"I hate paperwork." Bowing awkwardly to the healer, she left the girl in the hospital and headed back to the tower.

Two days passed before the girl awoke. Gaara stormed off in the direction of the hospital as soon as he got word. When he arrived, the girl lay very still, only acknowledging his presence with a blink and a shift of her head. The healers had assured him that she was coherent and lucid despite all evidence to the contrary. Robes billowing behind him, he took the only chair available in the room and moved it closer to her bedside.

"Hello. The healers tell me your name is Reina?"

When her mouth refused to form words, Reina nodded pathetically. Violet eyes watched him suspiciously from underneath strands of ebony hair; they were ringed in black as his own were, suggesting prolonged insomnia, but with the hospital blankets tucked to her chin, Gaara could discern very little else.

"Since it appears you are unable to speak," he began, "I am going to ask you simple yes or no questions. Do you understand?" She nodded. "Good. Now," he let his chin rest in his hands, "the healers tell me you are a Kumogakure ninja. Is that correct?"

Reina nodded a bit uncertainly, but he didn't press the matter further. "Did you intend to travel here, Reina-san?" She shook her head. "So you were lost, and you collapsed?" Reina nodded, shivering a little underneath what was already a pile of blankets. He took another from the cabinet in the corner of the room and threw it over her, pulling it to her chin. She smiled at him and nodded in thanks.

"Were you on a mission?" She shook her head no. Something in her eyes suggested that her appearance had nothing to do with Kumogakure. Gaara cursed inwardly; if she was a missing-nin, keeping her would be problematic, but he needed more information. "Well, Reina-san, I shall return when you are feeling well enough for conversation." He bowed deeply in his guest's direction. "Until then, I hope you are comfortable." He left the room, his voluminous robes once more billowing behind him.

* * *

A new week had begun when notice of Reina's full recovery found its way to the Kazekage's desk. He sent word to Temari who, as Reina's rescuer, had been given the responsibility of seeing to it that she was well-fed, clothed, and didn't cause trouble. Gaara laughed a little when he remembered his last meeting with Temari; her language had been…_colorful_, to say the least, when he'd doled out her latest task. She was right, of course. Her schedule _was_ full, so Gaara had excused her for morning patrols indefinitely until the whole business of their visitor could be sorted. After all, one did not simply let random ninja go gallivanting through the streets without some sort of guard. He felt that their guest might prefer a female companion, and there was no other woman in the whole of Sunagakure that he trusted with the task.

Breaking off his internal monologue, he gazed out the window of his tower to the streets below where, fates had it, his dear sister and her charge were walking by. Each woman held a shopping bag in the crook of her arm. They were chatting away and seemed to be getting along, which Gaara sincerely hoped was a good sign. He looked up at the clock hanging on his wall. It read 3:20 PM. In less than an hour, Reina was due in his office for their scheduled meeting. He hoped she would still be in such a genial mood at four o' clock. He rubbed his temples and sighed, wishing he had a hot cup of tea.

Gaara had been so deep in thought when he heard her knocking that he started and almost swept half his paperwork on the floor. He sighed exasperatedly and smoothed his robes. "Come in."

Reina shuffled in soundlessly, bowing as she closed the door behind her. Behind a tangled curtain of black hair, Gaara could see carefully concealed fear in her violet eyes. Though smiling was not his forte, he did his best. "Please sit, Reina-san." He gestured to one of two armchairs in front of his desk. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, Kazekage-sama." Though she had taken to twisting a lock of her hair out of nervousness, Gaara was pleased to see that she met his gaze.

"I trust your stay has been pleasant?" As he spoke he glanced at the report lying in front of him. Could the girl behaving so cordially before him truly be the same one? But no, the picture clipped at the folder's edge was unmistakable. A touch younger perhaps, but he could not recall seeing such striking violet eyes anywhere else.

She simply nodded. He flipped open his report (everything that Sunagakure intelligence could scrounge up short of demanding personal records from Kumogakure) and scanned just the first page before snapping it shut again. He had made up his mind. "I'm pleased to hear that," Gaara said softly, "but I am afraid it must come to an end. You will leave for Kumogakure by noon tomorrow, or you will be forcefully ousted from Sunagakure."

"I cannot…will not…return to Kumogakure." She visibly stiffened. The forced calm masking her features slipped, and Gaara saw fear trickle into her eyes. "They do not want me back." Reina averted her gaze and would not look at him.

Heaving another sigh, he again opened his report and began to read: "…listed in the Bingo Book as an S rank nin…flee on sight order issued…wanted on several counts of arson...manslaughter…" He fixed her with a steady, penetrating gaze though she still refused to look at him and said, "Given your record, I would not want you back either, Reina-san." Reina looked stung, but he did not pause.

"Your crimes are worthy of severe punishment, but as you are not under my jurisdiction, I cannot sentence you. I should have you detained, locked away. In fact, this meeting should never have even transpired; I should have sent word to the Raikage immediately upon discovering your identity and yet, I did not."

He leaned over his desk a little. In the back of his mind he registered his gourd sitting hidden in the corner of his office. If she struck, he was prepared. "I did not send word," he continued, "because despite what this report contains, you have been nothing but respectful, cordial, and cooperative during your stay. And make no mistake, I have been watching you very carefully.

"I will decide a course of action when you have explained this," he said, holding the report up and tapping it with his index finger, "to me." Gaara sat back in his chair and waited patiently as Reina processed his speech; her mouth was slightly open, her expression unabashedly shocked and surprised.

"I…" She faltered and looked pointedly at the floorboards, obviously unsure of what to say or where to begin. When Reina finally did look up, she stared at him for several long moments. Gaara knew his offer seemed preposterous; he couldn't blame her for her skepticism, so he wasn't surprised when she shook her head and muttered, "You're joking. I've finally lost it…"

"I am most certainly not joking," he said calmly, resting his chin on steepled fingers and watching Reina closely, "and while I cannot vouch for your sanity, I can assure you that mine is perfectly intact and I am completely serious. Unless you'd rather decline?"

Reina shifted in her chair and eyed him again. "No. No, I don't think I will." She pushed her ebony locks from her eyes and, stretching out her hand, asked, "May I see that report?" She rifled through the pages quickly and purposefully, though what she was searching for Gaara didn't know. She finally sat staring dumbly at the last page, looking utterly confused and somewhat relieved all at once. "It…it's not here." Reina spoke so softly that Gaara would have missed it had she not had his full attention.

"What's not there?" he asked politely. Reina was so lost in thought that she jerked bolt upright when he spoke. The report fell to the floor, pages flying in all directions. Reina gave a little surprised gasp and rushed to pick it up, but Gaara caught her wrist and sat her back down. "What's not there?" he repeated.

Reina, who was still in shock at being thrust back into her seat rather quickly, shook her head. "I will tell you," she began hesitantly, "If you can answer a question for me." Gaara gave a little nod and motioned for her to continue. "Is it true," she asked, her voice a near whisper, "that a…a jinchuuriki lives here? Here in Sunagakure?"

Gaara hoped his shock at her query did not reach his face. He paused to collect himself then said quietly, "Yes." The seal on his stomach prickled uncomfortably; Shukaku always knew when he was mentioned. "Why do you ask?"

Without warning, she got up from the armchair she had been sitting in and turned around so that her back was to him. The sand in his gourd swirled in anticipation; he braced himself for the attack.

But she did not attack, or even move. Instead, she pulled her shirt above her head.

"Wha-?" But his initial shock at her shiftlessness faded when he saw emblazoned upon her back an unmistakable tattoo-the same seal seared upon his abdomen that marked him as what she undoubtedly was.

"I received this mark at the age of six when the elders of Kumogakure ordered that the Two Tailed Demon, Matatabi Niibi, be sealed into another host following the death of Nii Yugito, the original host." Reina pulled her shirt back down and curled up in the armchair again. "You can imagine what happens when a volatile fire demon is forced to share a body with a six year old." There was a bitterness in her voice that Gaara knew far too well.

"I can't say that Matatabi is to blame for everything I've done, but he is for most. I just…I was so angry, so alone. I couldn't control myself. I couldn't control _him._ If you had my personal records you would know the Raikage has pardoned me for my offenses. It was not his decision to seal the Niibi into me, and he never blamed me for my outbursts."

"Then why have you left Kumo?" Gaara asked, abandoning all pretense of polite indifference. "You act as though you are in danger; if the Raikage has pardoned you, you are safe."

"Yes," Reina said quietly, chin resting on her hands as she gazed out the window. "It's all so simple from your position isn't it?" She laughed bitterly, turning to fix him with her own penetrating gaze. "Don't you understand? Not everyone agreed with the Raikage's decision. How many people do you know that would ever wholly forgive a murderer, if at all?

"I was in danger," she said, turning away from him and drawing her knees up to her chest. Her eyes were far away, and when she looked at him again they shone with unshed tears. "I was in danger, and though the Raikage did all he could to protect me, it was not enough. I feared for my life, so I faked my own death and fled Kumogakure. It was pure cowardice. I could not face my enemy, so I ran from him." She shut her eyes against those words, self-disgust etched into her face. For a moment she froze that way, and then she stood and faced him.

"Here is where the story ends, Kazekage-sama." Reina swept her arms out to indicate his office. She was smiling at him as though her predicament was amusing, eyes still glassy. "Here, with a supposedly deceased Kumogakure missing nin awaiting your decision."

Shock prevented him from answering at once. Could her situation have been so terrible that she would kill herself? But then, hadn't his own uncle attempted to take his life? How many times had assassins tried to kill him on his father's orders? Gaara knew that, had he not been so closely watched, he might have attempted something similar.

"Well…that is certainly a story, Reina-san." He had moved from behind his desk now, and sat perched on its corner as he spoke. "And it seems that because the Raikage assumes you deceased, you are in fact under my jurisdiction at the present."

"You will," he began, "remain under surveillance until further notice. Should you in any way cause harm, I will see to it that you are, as I said before, ousted immediately and sent on your way. Your future here will be decided when I receive word from the Raikage concerning your status as a—"

"_No!"_ Reina sprang up so quickly that her chair fell backwards with a crash_—_neither of them noticed. "You _cannot_ let him know that I am alive!" The words were a near hiss. She shook with rage; Gaara could feel his sand rushing to his aid, but he coaxed it back and willed himself to stay calm.

"I must," he said.

Reina hadn't heard him; she was still shaking, her face contorted with fury. "No! He will want me to return! He will not let me stay here, and if I set foot in Kumo _he will kill me!_ I can't go back! I won't! _I won't go back!"_ Her rage dissolved into hysterics; she collapsed onto his office floor in a sobbing heap and lay there, choking and gasping for air with her face in her hands.

Gaara hesitated, not knowing what to do with the distraught woman crumpled on his floor. Reina, however, showed no sign of stopping. He had to do something; she was going to make herself sick. Worse, he thought as his heart fell into his stomach, she could lose control of the Two Tails.

He rose from the desk and knelt on the floor beside her. Reina was curled into a ball with her back away from him, and hadn't seemed to notice him move at all; she was sobbing so fiercely that her words were unintelligible. With his sand close by in case she worsened, Gaara laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Reina-san," he said softly, "look at me." When she didn't respond, he repeated his order a little more firmly. Finally, and with great difficulty, Reina managed to uncurl herself and lay flat on the floor, chest heaving with barely controlled sobs.

"S-stop…," she choked out, but she wasn't talking to him. Gaara could feel her trembling; her eyes were wide with fright, pupils dilating rapidly. The skin beneath his fingers was suddenly hot, prickling with demonic chakra. If he hadn't known better, Gaara would have thought she was seizing; Reina lay there convulsing, her mouth opening and closing in strangled speech. Gaara called his sand and pinned her down within seconds.

He leaned over Reina again and looked into her eyes; she was fighting it with all she had. A pang of sympathy shot through him, but he shoved it down and forced himself to remain calm. He had to keep it together right now. Gaara redoubled his grip and continued to stare into her eyes. "Focus, Reina-san," he said calmly. Control your emotions. Concentrate on my voice—don't look away! Focus. Don't lose control."

Moments passed; Gaara wondered if she had heard him, but suddenly looking self-aware, Reina heaved one last great, shuddering gasp and lay very still. Her chest shook and her face shone with sweat, but she seemed in control. Gaara released her restraints and she slowly sat upright. "I didn't mean to—I—I…" Her voice cracked and she trailed off, looking at him as though she expected punishment.

"It's quite all right," Gaara said as he helped her to her feet and guided her back to her chair. He poured her a glass of water and returned to his desk, watching in silence as she drained her drink in a few large gulps. He poured her another glass. "Better?"

"Yes." Reina sipped her second drink slowly, holding it with both hands as she spoke. "I'm sorry. Emotions make it…hard."

"Understandable," Gaara said, waving his hand dismissively. "This is quite an emotional discussion." Reina laughed harshly, and for a while they were silent. When Gaara was sure she had calmed down, he asked, "Why would the Raikage want to kill you? Did you not say he had forgiven you?"

"He did," Reina replied, setting her empty glass to one side. "That's not who I meant…It's my brother. My brother wants to kill me. He's wanted to kill me for a long time.

"When they sealed Matatabi into me, my parents came. They never came back. My brother, Keiichi… he blames me. He says I killed them." Her long black hair hid her face from his view, but Gaara knew she was crying.

"Did you kill them?" He asked.

"I… I don't know. I don't remember anything."

"I see." He gave a curt nod and returned to the topic at hand. "As I was saying, I will send a letter to the Raikage—let me finish—explaining your current situation. I will do my best to protect your privacy, though I cannot leave him completely in the dark. If all goes well, you may remain here in Suna, but I make no guarantees. Is that understood?" Reina nodded. "Very well. You may leave. Better yet, why don't you go find Temari and have something to eat? It will help." She nodded again, bowed, and turned to leave.

Out of the corner of his eye, Gaara saw her linger at the door. "Kazekage-sama?"

"Yes?"

"You won't tell him who tried to kill me?"

"No, I will not."

She left the room without another word, and Gaara collapsed into his chair immediately after, silently thanking the Gods it was over. A quick glance at the window behind him told him they had been in here for hours; the sky was a brilliant pink and orange, and the sun was no more than a red blur on the horizon. Gaara sighed and rubbed his temples, then picked up his pen and pulled a stack of paperwork towards him. After staring at the words but not really reading anything, Gaara pushed it away and slouched back into his chair. He was far too tired, and Temari would want him downstairs for dinner in a short while. Instead, he called a servant to bring up tea; he had time for a cup or two, and after that meeting, he was sorely in need of one.


	2. Interim

Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto. _

I hope you are all enjoying the story so far; thank you to all my readers, especially _iceciclefangAJ, _my first reviewer! I know the first chapter was very long; it was too short where I'd initially stopped it, and I had to include more than I'd planned. Hopefully I'll be keeping things shorter from now on; this chapter is roughly 2,500 words. Please review; I love feedback!

Chapter Two: Interim

Gaara began penning his correspondence to the Raikage as soon as he entered his office the following morning, and though in all honesty he had little desire to see either of them after yesterday, sent for Reina and his sister.

It was a quick affair. He informed them that Temari, who had been shirking her duties for an entire week, was quite overdue for guard duty and that today, Monday, would be her last day of freedom. Gaara had ignored Temari's pained expression and given her orders to escort Reina to his office the following morning. Temari would return to her usual post and Reina would be assigned a new guardian.

Reina had said nothing, only nodded and bowed before leaving the room. It was now around lunch time; Gaara sat at his desk contemplating Reina's silence with pen in hand, trying to rid himself of writer's block as he stared at the blank sheet before him. It was certainly true that he had been working on the letter most of his morning, but so far he was unhappy with any attempt, and the only letter that might have been passable had been splotched with ink when a servant outside the office had tripped and dropped Gaara's lunch tray, causing such an unholy clanging that Gaara had leapt from his seat and sprinted to the man's aid, only to find he had spilled his ink bottle in the process.

Gaara sat hunched over his now ink-stained desk and tried to recall what he had written, then began to write. A short while later, he sat holding a finished letter to the Raikage. It sounded stuffy and formal, but most of his writing did nowadays. You couldn't exactly risk offending someone when others' well-being rested on your shoulders. He scanned the letter a few times before he deemed it sufficient and folded it in half, placing it under a large book and away from prying eyes. And that, he thought glumly, would probably be the most exciting thing he did all day. No, once you got over the glamor of power, prestige, and order-giving, being a Kage had more to do with paperwork and politics. With a heavy sigh, Gaara mustered up all the drive he had and started on a large stack of unfinished paperwork. Today was going to be a long day.

Now that she had recovered, Reina found herself in a small room of the Kazekage tower near the very top; Gaara had let her stay where his family did because Temari was close by. What would he do, she wondered, when Temari was no longer her guardian? Would he make her leave?

"It's a nice view," she said to no one in particular; Reina's room was on the left side, and she could see past the cliffs and out into the desert when the sky was clear. Now she watched as the guards on the cliffs shuffled along like tiny little ants as they made way for the next shift. Reina watched the procession until it was out of sight, then turned and sat with her back against the wall and her legs stretched out on the bed.

Somewhere in the tower, Gaara was delivering his letter to the Raikage. The past few days had given her much to worry about, but more than anything she worried about the outcome of that letter. What would the Raikage think when he learned the truth about her disappearance? Would she be allowed to stay, or would her cowardice break the already weak ties Kumo had with Suna?

Self-loathing burned hot in her stomach. "I've been so foolish!" She smashed the wisp of flame she had been holding and swung her fist at the wall. It bloodied her knuckles, but she didn't care. "Coward! I'm such a coward! I've put everyone in danger." Her throat tight with barely-held-back tears, Reina collapsed onto her bed despairing and exhausted, wishing she could sleep to escape it all.

Reina was still laying there when a knock sounded on her bedroom door. "Gaara wants you in his office." Reina recognized the voice as Kankuro, Gaara's older brother. She sat up and gave the affirmative, listening to his footsteps as he retreated to his own room.

"What could he want?" And though the frantic questions seemed to paralyze her, she dragged herself out of bed and wiped her face. Reina would have to meet him if she wanted to assuage the curiosity adding to the stones of doubt and fear in the pit of her stomach. Closing the door behind her soundlessly, Reina tiptoed past the rooms of a slumbering Temari and Kankuro and ascended the stairs to Gaara's office.

He was not at his desk; the two armchairs that usually flanked the front of it were pushed up against the left wall in front of a huge expanse of thick, sandstorm-proof glass that looked out onto the city below. A small round table laid with tea things sat between them. Gaara gestured to the armchair he wasn't sitting in.

Reina sat, completely flabbergasted. Had the Kazekage really just ordered her here for _tea?_ And it was nearly nighttime!

"I've sent the letter." Gaara's smooth voice broke her train of thought; she was vaguely aware of him pouring tea as he spoke. "If all goes according to plan, the entire affair should be smooth and painless."

"_'If' _being the key word there," she said sharply. The retort burst from her lips before she could stop herself.

"True," he said softly, pausing to sip his tea, "but I do know what I'm doing. And if the Raikage and I share the same concern, which I believe we do, then your safety is paramount."

Reina nodded and took another sip of her tea. She wanted to spout off at him, to tell him that A, Raikage or not, was a rash man and would throw a wrench in his "plan," but he probably already knew that. She was so anxious, so frustrated by her helplessness, and there he sat across from her, completely in control. Her indebtedness was the only thing stopping her from slapping him in the face.

"I heard you raging earlier," Gaara said nonchalantly. He held his teacup, looking out the window as if he were discussing the weather.

"What?"

"I heard you yelling in your room," he clarified, still looking away from Reina and pretending not to notice her horrified face. "Do you really believe you've put everyone in danger?"

"So is that why you called me here?" Reina spat acidly. She was growing more furious with each passing second. _How dare he spy on me? He has no right! _"You asked me to tea so you could pick my brain, so you could make sure the jinchuuriki _bitch_ was on her best behavior?"

Gaara froze mid-sip, placed his cup on the table, and looked Reina steadily in the eyes. "Of course not. I've called you here to discuss our clandestine meeting with the Raikage, and at no point have I ever called you a bitch. Please sit down, Reina-san, and try to remain calm."

Reina looked around and realized she was on her feet, though she didn't remember standing. Thoroughly embarrassed and glad the low lighting concealed her furious blush, she sat down and took the cup of tea Gaara held out for her. "I'm so sorry." She took a gulp and slouched into her seat. "I'm frustrated, anxious, angry…and I'm taking it out on you…" She trailed off and sighed heavily.

"I know. That's why I asked. I didn't intend to upset you." He helped himself to a scone and placed one on Reina's plate. When she said nothing, he asked, "_Do _you believe that?"

"I guess so." She was trying to ignore him by picking at her scone, but his patience seemed endless. He watched her calmly from across the table, waiting for her to go on. Recognizing defeat when she saw it, Reina pushed her plate of crumbs away and faced him. "I keep thinking that he's going to be angry when he finds out that I ran off, that he'll be angry at you for protecting me. I don't want Suna and Kumo to break their truce because of what I did…because I was too much of a coward to face my own brother."

"I don't think you were cowardly," Gaara said. Reina looked incredulous, but he kept talking, "You deserted your village, but you made sure to break ties cleanly, to leave them without the trouble of a missing nin on their hands. And you saved your brother from making a horrible mistake."

Reina shook her head at him. "I ran away because I didn't want to die. It was cowardice."

"Do you love him? Do you love your brother?"

"Y-yes, of course I do." Reina replied, taken aback. _Why did he care?_

"Then you did the right thing by sparing him. One day he will know the truth of your parents' death; it would be all that much harder to bear with your blood on his hands. You've saved him a lifetime of guilt and regret, though he does not know it yet.

"And the Raikage knows that he had few supporters. Do not think he will misunderstand. He will know what you have done for him. In fact, you may have helped yourself; if the Akatsuki is misinformed regarding your death as well, you have unwittingly made yourself as safe as possible. They will not go after a target that is already dead. You do know whom Akatsuki are, I assume?"

"Yes. They tried to take Yugito from Kumo when I was Kazekage nodded. "True, but for safety's sake we must assume they do know you are alive. I need the Raikage's help to conceal you, which is why I wrote to him. That letter is heavily encrypted and flying to Kumo with our fastest, most well-trained carrier hawk. With any luck, it will avoid interception, and I will receive a reply in a few days' time. I know you are anxious and frustrated by this, but you must trust me, and you must be patient. I am doing all I can to keep you safe."

"I know." Reina stared at the dregs in her cup. She should refill it, but she didn't want anymore.

Gaara, who was looking out the window again, seemed to have read her mind. "You may leave when you are finished." Reina murmured her thanks and bowed before slipping silently from his office. Like him, she would spend her sleepless night watching the full moon above shining down on the sleeping village below.

* * *

Reina returned bright and early Tuesday morning without Temari in tow; the wind user had pointed her down the hallway, grumbling incoherently and stomping off to her post. She stood silently in a corner as she waited for acknowledgment, and noticed a quiet figure dressed in sand-colored tactical gear standing opposite her doing the same. Said figure was camouflaged so well he very nearly disappeared into the wall behind him.

"Good morning, Reina-san." Gaara's quiet but commanding voice abruptly interrupted her analysis of the figure, and she tore her gaze away from him to look at the red-haired teenager behind the desk. He gazed at her serenely over stacks of paperwork. She returned the greeting and bowed respectfully.

Gaara gestured at the sand-colored shinobi behind him, who stepped forward soundlessly and gave Reina a little bow. "This is your new guard, Endo Hibiki," Gaara said. Reina nodded curtly and returned Hibiki's pleasantries. When Gaara seemed satisfied he continued, "Hibiki will watch you and report back to me as Temari did before, but he will do so from a distance. You will hardly be aware of him if he does his job correctly, and I am confident that he will."

Gaara warned her again to stay on her best behavior, and then dismissed her with a wave of his hand. Reina slunk out the door; she looked around for Hibiki and found nothing. Gaara was right; Hibiki did his job well. She could smell him though, and as she stalked out of the tower and down Suna's main street, his scent hung over her like an irritating cloud.

Reina snorted in annoyance. No matter how many side streets she turned down, no matter how quickly she moved, Endo Hibiki tailed her like a shadow. He would probably put in his report that she tried to shake him off, Reina knew, but Gaara would probably expect it. Reina was stir-crazy, fed up with being confined to the village and kept under observation like a germ in a petri dish, and if the Kazekage wasn't completely blind, he knew that too.

The young leader of Sunagakure was just doing his job, _she_ knew. And he was giving her a lot of leash, just not enough for her to strangle him with. _Oh, politics._ Reina allowed herself a sardonic smile as she walked. No doubt the Sunagakure elders wanted her shipped back to Kumo in a sardine can to save on costs. Gaara, bless him, was at least trying to help.

Reina poked her head around another corner, and to her delight saw a small tea house at the end of the street. Her stomach growled in agreement, and she laughed. "Breakfast then, I suppose." She turned towards Hibiki's general direction and gave a loud whistle. "Come on down here, Mr. Sand Shadow. Might as well be polite and have some breakfast."

Hibiki materialized at her side, but said nothing as they walked down the dusty road leading to the shop. ANBU, she surmised, finally getting a close-up of his outfit. It was your standard getup, minus the animal mask. Hibiki had forsaken the white trademark for a sand-colored cowl and wrappings that left only his calculating brown eyes uncovered. If he noticed her assessment, he said nothing. _Probably as much of an order as ditching that mask was,_ she thought briefly. She sighed. Gaara was thorough; even right beside her, her sandy sentinel was as silent and invisible as ever. Gods, she missed Temari. At least she had _talked._

They reached the tea shop, and Reina slouched onto a barstool with Hibiki still breathing down her neck. He had taken the seat to the left of her and was now staring at the wall in front of them with such an intensity that Reina wondered if it might burst into flames.

"Are you really not going to say _anything?"_ she asked as a short, plump woman with curly brown hair set menus out for them.

Hibiki averted his concentration for just a moment, and Reina fancied she saw mocking incredulity in his eyes. She had the sudden urge to bloody his nose of the counter as he shook his head and returned his attention to the wall. _Of course not,_ she thought bitterly. _Prisoners don't need to be entertained._

The short woman returned with her cup of jasmine tea and plate of sweet rolls. Reina mumbled her thanks, though she was suddenly not hungry. _Prisoner._ The word sounded ominous and cold in her mind. Of course, the young Kazekage had seemed sympathetic; he had to be, to risk believing her (Or clinically insane. She wasn't sure.), but the truth of the matter was a chill she couldn't shake. It seeped into her bones and crawled beneath her skin, and despite the hot tea and warm bread she was forcing down her throat, she was suddenly icy and numb.

_The truth is that I'm a dead man walking._ Her lips twisted in an ugly smile. Not even two of the most powerful men in the great shinobi nations could change her fate. The only thing standing in her way now were letters. Letters and borrowed time.


	3. Imprisonment

Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto._ Sincerest apologies to _iciclefangAJ; _my computer's autocorrect has a habit of deciding my words for me... I do my best to proofread and edit, but we all make mistakes. Let me know if you see any! This story has 90 views so far; thank you, everyone! Please read and review!

Chapter 3: Imprisonment

Gaara's day had been mercifully uneventful. He had managed to get most of his work done in peace, with only a few interruptions. Even the Council had not reared its ugly head. Sunagakure's young leader chuckled; that fact alone made today practically _glorious._

He shook his head. For all his intelligence, Gaara had never managed to predict just how ferocious, how stubborn, the elderly could be. Truthfully, he valued the opinions of the Sunagakure elders, he really did, but more often than not he found himself at odds with them.

Unbidden, Chiyo-baa-sama's wheezy, cracking voice wormed its way into his thoughts like an irksome fly. "Suna does _not_ need anything from Konoha! We are a _strong_ people, _a proud _people, and we do not make alliances!"

Gaara snorted in irritation. Strong and proud. _Stubborn,_ more like it. But elders or no, Gaara Sabaku was the Kazekage. In the end, he had overruled an indecisive Council with Temari's help. His sister had been a godsend on more than one occasion, and he silently thanked whatever God or Goddess had blessed her with her bizarre, miraculous powers of persuasion.

The Council frequently disagreed with their young (or as they put it, inexperienced) Kazekage. Only his former mentor Baki could be relied on to take Gaara's opinions seriously and weigh them with consideration for the redhead's position, all matters of age aside. Baki knew Gaara had worked hard to be where he was, that he deserved his position just as much as any other Kazekage had. Which was exactly why Baki was the only Council member other than himself aware of Reina's presence in the village.

Gaara rolled his pen between his thumb and index finger, his forehead crinkled in thought. He had broken his promise to her, and that unsettled him. He was not the kind of man to do such a thing, but he had no other choice. He knew Reina's presence in the village would inevitably raise questions, so he had confided in Baki and sought his help to placate the higher-ups.

Baki had singlehandedly put together the intel regarding the female jinchuuriki when Gaara voiced his concerns about her situation. As far as Gaara was aware, he had not told a soul, and when he revealed her jinchuuriki status to him, Baki had sealed himself up tighter than one of Gaara's sand coffins. Having had experience with Gaara himself, Baki was incredibly sympathetic to the whole situation, and Gaara was thankful for that. An ally among the Council all but ensured his plan's success.

Truthfully, he _had_ wanted everything to remain between himself, Reina, and the Raikage, but he realized shortly after his promise it was an impossible thing to do. Almost immediately, council members began sticking their unwelcome noses into his private plot. With Baki and Temari's help, Gaara had successfully managed to coax them into allowing her to remain. He could not lie to them outright; if Reina stayed as he believed she would, such a plan would backfire on him with disastrous consequences. For Reina's sake, he had spared them detailed information and kept to basics. She was a Kumogakure citizen, lost and far away from home with nowhere else to go. As expected, they had wanted her to return home immediately, but Gaara had insisted he contact the Raikage first to avoid any misunderstandings. Assuaged, the council members had returned to pestering him about taxes.

_But she still has another two days to wait for word from the Raikage._ Then of course, Gaara would have to come clean and reveal the truth to everyone, but he was confident everything would work out as planned. With Reina's records from Kumogakure in hand and the threat of Akatsuki looming overhead, the Council would agree with his decision and allow her to stay. They had to. If Reina would not seek safety within Kumogakure, it was necessary she find sanctuary somewhere else, and Gaara was more than happy to offer Sunagakure up for the job. Akatsuki could not be allowed to become stronger.

He looked over to the big window on his right as the sun again completed its daily ritual, leaving the sky bleeding pink and gold around it. According to the clock on the wall, Temari would be arriving for another lecture on proper eating habits if he wasn't downstairs in fifteen minutes. Thankfully, she had conceded to allow the chef to cook for once, and the promise of an edible meal compelled him downstairs and to the dinner table.

* * *

He found Kankuro giving an animated recap of the day's training with the Puppet Brigade, gesticulating wildly with his hands as Temari and Reina watched him with bemused expressions. When Kankuro was passionate about something, you couldn't get a word in edgewise. Gaara sat himself across from the raven-haired Kumo escapee. She shot him a pained expression and inclined her head towards his older brother. Gaara shook his head, and they endured Kankuro's lecturing until dinner arrived.

They supped in relative silence, Kankuro continuing his earlier sermon at sporadic intervals. Reina did her best to eat, though only succeeded in pushing her fish and vegetables to different parts of her plate. It was blatantly obvious, but her red-haired warden either did not notice or did not care. Like her, Gaara spoke little and ate his food quickly and purposefully.

Reina watched him surreptitiously out of the corner of her eye throughout dinner; her mind was still reeling over her earlier revelation. _Am I a prisoner?_ She pinched a carrot with her chopsticks and chewed it thoroughly as she thought about the implications of that statement. _Am I?_

The possibilities were still floating around in her head when Matatabi spoke up.

_Do you think us imprisoned here? _It was a rare tone for him; truly a question with no ulterior motive; he sought an honest answer.

_I don't know for certain,_ Reina replied.

_We are not detained, and Kazekage-sama has not restricted our power. Why is it that you feel vilified? _Reina scoffed internally. Damn him, psychoanalyzing her like some sort of patient, speaking to her as if she were a child.

_Come now, girl. Answer the question._ Matatabi's jinchuuriki heaved an inaudible sigh at his condescending tone, but grudgingly consented and said, _Perhaps we are not prisoners, but Kazekage-sama does not trust us. He speaks with me as an equal, yet he treats us as if we were murderous spies._

_Have we not been? _Matatabi's reproachful jibe made Reina shrink back, but the demon was not satisfied._ Kazekage-sama is responsible for the safety of Sunagakure's civilians, _he admonished. _Have you yourself not reasoned he is only doing what is necessary? You cannot expect a hero's welcome, or any welcome at all for that matter. Kazekage-sama already risks much allowing us our little freedom. Do not add fuel to the fire with your unfounded accusations._

The irony of that statement was not lost on the young flame-wielding jinchuuriki. Wholly chastised however, she did not blurt her usual retort or even respond. As Reina finished her plate and left the dining room, she could picture Matatabi's smug smile. He loved to win their arguments. Knowing that he usually did left a bitter taste in her mouth, and she ignored the demon's quiet chuckling as she ascended the stairs to her room.

* * *

Two days passed in agonizing wait. Hibiki had not left her, and his presence only made her more anxious. Gaara had barely spoken to her since he assigned her guard. It made her nervous; she felt like incinerating something. _I can't take this anymore! I'm going to go _insane. She scowled, clenched her fists, and stormed off towards the cliffs with Hibiki trailing close behind.

Her original idea had involved Hibiki with a bloody nose. Granted, she _still_ wanted to break his nose, but her angry, expletive-punctuated walk to Sunagakure's borders had calmed her enough to decide against it. Permanently disfiguring her babysitter wasn't exactly diplomatic. Instead, she plopped down next to a pile of sand. Art seemed like a safer outlet.

Reina took a handful of sand from the rocks and liquified it in her hands. Somewhere behind her Hibiki had stiffened; when he realized she hadn't thrown a fireball at him, he relaxed, but she still smelled his curiosity. Mr. Oh-so-silent was _dying_ to speak. "It's just molten glass," she said, twirling the liquid into a sphere. It hung suspended in black flames as she worked a wind kanji into the surface. She extinguished her self-made furnace with a deft flick. Hibiki still stood behind her; she flung the glass ball at his head—of course, she _knew _he would catch it—and watched as he examined it.

Without a word, he stowed the present in his cargo pocket. _That was it?_ Reina sighed in defeat; Hibiki really wasn't going to speak. As much as it agonized her, she was almost glad the Raikage's reply was due any moment. Maybe now she could get rid of her mute sidekick. Said mute sidekick must have read her mind, because he motioned for her to follow, and they started back toward the tower.


	4. Preparation

Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto _and probably never will. I hope you all enjoy this chapter; I'm currently writing the next one, so it may take me a while to update, but don't worry—I'll get things done. Enjoy and review!

Chapter 4: Preparation

Gaara hadn't been in his office when they had arrived. Thankfully Termari was around to dismiss Hibiki, and he slunk away without ever evidencing possession of vocal cords. Reina retreated to her room and flopped on her bed. She should be terrified waiting for A's letter, but mostly she just felt bored. She flipped onto her back and growled at the ceiling, "I'm a shinobi, not a noble! _I want to _do _something!_" After laying on the bed and making patterns in the ceiling cracks for a while, she headed downstairs. Now that her irritation had worn off, she felt queasy and ill, and her nerves were giving her a headache. Tea seemed like a good idea.

She had started warming the teapot when a familiar redhead came gliding downstairs. He sat on a barstool at the counter; out of the corner of her eye Reina saw the neatly folded paper in his hand, stamped with the Raikage's mark. She pretended not to notice as she waited for the tea to steep. She poured each of them a cup and sat down, hoping Gaara didn't notice her trembling as she took a sip. _Gods…_

"Thank you, Reina-san." He sipped his own tea and said nothing, as if the paper lying on the counter were an expenditure report, rather than her future. Her heart felt like it might explode. She took another sip of her jasmine. Finally he said, "I've received word from A. He likes the arrangements and wants to move forward; a messenger should arrive with your file next week."

"T-that's it?" Reina sat her shaking teacup on the counter. "Everything is okay?"

Gaara nodded. "Perfectly fine. He's agreed to secrecy for now, to ensure your safety until its official."

"Until what's official?" she asked.

"Your transfer of citizenship. You are welcome to stay here and to serve Sunagakure as a jounin ranked shinobi, if you choose to do so." Gaara sipped his tea again. "Of course, A is overjoyed to know you are alive, and happy to have you back if you'd rather return home. His opinions of the people threatening you were…colorful, to say the least."

Reina chuckled. She knew well enough how A would have reacted. "Let me guess…he threatened to disembowel them if they so much as looked at me the wrong way?"

Gaara nodded. "Something like that, yes. I believe he also mentioned flaying. He seemed rather pleased with that idea."

Reina nodded. "Sounds like A. He's always been…a little over the top. I wouldn't be surprised if he marched straight to Sunagakure just to see me."

"Then it shouldn't surprise you that he is." Gaara remained completely nonchalant—Reina nearly spit out her tea.

_"__What?"_

"We had already arranged talks regarding the peace agreement between Suna and Kumo; your file will be delivered alongside other documents. This exchange was previously agreed upon. That it suits your situation is simply coincidence; A was already on his way."

"I can't get out of this, can I?" Reina tried her best to look pitiful, but Gaara seemed undisturbed. It was childish and petulant, she knew, but she had hoped to avoid anything Kumo-related for a little longer. _Why did it have to be A? _She groaned inwardly. _Kami, help me!_

"No, you cannot. The incident surrounding your sudden reappearance—"

"Is crucial to peace negotiations, because if A thinks you're mistreating me he'll burn Sunagakure to the ground and demand your head on a silver platter?"

Gaara smiled faintly and nodded, the best evidence of amusement he could offer. "Yes. I wouldn't put things in such…graphic…terms, but you have the gist of the situation. And, I must have the Raikage's approval before I can enlist you. Adding you to our ranks without A's blessing, especially given your jinchuuriki status and close relationship with his family, would be tantamount to a declaration of war, and that is the last thing you, I, or the Raikage want. Until he arrives, you will remain under guard and _avoid attracting attention at all costs._ Have I made myself clear?"

"But, Gaara-sama I—"

"Do not have a say in the matter." He stood and placed his cup in the sink before pouring Reina another. "I know you are bored. I know you are frustrated—I would expect nothing less from a kunoichi of your caliber. But for now, you must endure this arrangement. Understood?"

"Understood, Kazekage-sama."

"Good. Report to my office tomorrow morning. Until then, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Kazekage-sama."

* * *

"A and his entourage will arrive shortly after the messenger. I trust you will be able to control yourself for another ten days?" Gaara watched the violet-eyed kunoichi over steepled fingers; if she had any complaints, she said nothing. Her habitual hair twisting had returned though, and even as she mumbled a polite affirmative and scuttled away he saw her tugging at the ebony strands. It was going to be a long ten days.

And indeed they were. Reina said little in the following week, but Gaara sensed her anxiety. Even without the added perception sharing a body with Shukaku afforded him, Reina's nerves were palpable. But Hibiki made no report, and Reina had frowned so fiercely when the cook had mentioned her surly demeanor that the entire staff had stopped asking. Her behavior was unacceptable—if he hadn't often been in the same situation himself, he wouldn't have let it slide this long. But the Raikage was due in just two days now, and he needed her to behave if these negotiations were to be successful, so he called her into his office and dismissed Hibiki after lunch. She slunk in, gave a little bow, and slouched into the empty chair next to his window. "Kazekage-sama?"

"Would you like to explain your behavior this past week?"

"What behavior, Kazekage-sama?" She was twirling her hair again, looking out at the city below and refusing to meet his eyes. Gaara sighed and ran a hand through his red hair.

"What behavior? You have refused to speak beyond what is necessary and frightened the staff. I hardly think I need to explain proper social conventions to a woman of noble lineage."

_Noble lineage. _She made a face. Right. The same _noble _family that had adored her—"Little Reina-hime! Little Jewel!"—had cast her out when she became _Bakemono-Neko. _If she had a lineage, she didn't want it. She looked up from her fuming; Gaara had uncrossed his arms and was now standing near her at the window frame. "Reina?" He asked.

Of course, Reina _was _a noble. And she knew she was being unkind after everything Gaara had done for her. Even Matatabi had woken up long enough to scold her for her manners earlier today. With a heavy sigh, she uncurled herself from Gaara's armchair and bowed a customary, low respectful bow. "Haranshi Reina at your service, Kazekage-sama." She straightened and stood perfectly still.

"Are you certain you are well?" He hadn't moved from his spot at the windowsill.

"I'm fine." That was a lie. They both knew that. "Just a little odd coming back to life after being dead for so long." _A little. _Understatement of the century.

Gaara nodded. "I can imagine, but you must act appropriately when the Raikage arrives. These peace negotiations are vital to our fight against Akatsuki, and while you may have no desire to see A again, I'm afraid it's necessary. We both know very well there is no use trying to hide you." Reina said nothing, and he continued, a little softer this time, "I know you are afraid. I would not ask you to do this if it were not absolutely necessary."

"I know that." An awkward silence settled over them. Finally, Reina turned and bowed another low bow. "Thank you, Kazekage-sama." She was gone before he could reply.

* * *

The tower buzzed with activity; a messenger hawk had arrived a few hours earlier announcing Raikage's imminent arrival, and Temari and Kankuro were busy discussing the evening plans. While the negotiations concerning the peace treaty would start tomorrow morning in the safety of Gaara's office, A was arriving tonight. The cook and staff had already begun preparing the meal, and in their brother's absence Temari and Kankuro had taken over the remaining last minute details.

"What about her?" Kankuro and Temari hadn't seen Reina all day; Gaara's only real instructions had been to ensure her appearance, and so far both Sand Siblings were failing miserably.

"I don't know where she is Temari. Didn't you see her earlier?" Kankuro looked odd dressed in formal attire without his usual face paint.

"I brought her clothes up to her room an hour ago. I already spoke to the servants, and no one has seen her come down yet. You don't think she's still in there?" Temari was already dressed. Reina should be too, but the rogue Kumogakure kunoichi had yet to appear. Temari sighed for the upteenth time and sat down the drink she was holding. "Stay down here and help Aiko find the rest of the silverware. I'll go get her." Mentally cursing her younger brother's occupation, she started up the spiral staircase to Reina's room.

The door was unlocked. "Reina? You okay?" Silence. Temari nudged the door open a bit. "I'm coming in, all right?" Temari opened the door; Reina stood in front of the tall, oval mirror in the corner tucking the last strand of her hair back into a neat bun. "You look beautiful," Temari said as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Reina wore a deep purple kimono with cream plum blossoms embroidered at the hem; the dress's bright scarlet obi matched the red lacquer hair comb she wore. Against her jet black hair and violet eyes, the effect was striking. Reina turned to Temari. "You think so?"

"Red is definitely your color," Temari nodded; she had chosen the outfit thinking just that.

"Good." With no hair to hide behind, Reina's fear was painfully obvious. She bit her lip and looked away from the wind user, trading her usual hair twirling for picking at the hem of her sleeve. "I… I know this is important. I'm sorry I'm late."

Temari smiled and hoped it was encouraging. "You aren't late, but we're going to be if I don't get you downstairs." She steered her reluctant charge toward the door and gave her shoulder and encouraging squeeze. "Don't worry," Temari whispered. "You look great, and everything's going to be fine. Gaara won't let you get hurt."

Reina sighed. Was she really_ that_ easy to read? So much for her reputation. _But I'm not worried about hurting _myself… If she _was _attacked, _they _would have to worry about _her. _Matatabi would take over, and with her usual luck, she'd wake up with the Kazekage tower in cinders and rubble, and Temari and her friends as charred corpses. Mata had promised to behave, but there was no telling what would happen if he got angry. Reina swallowed hard and followed Temari downstairs to the dining room.


End file.
